Creating a fairer Britain
03 February 2009
The Commission today welcomed the Government's plans to empower disabled UK citizens to exercise their rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which the Government has pledged to ratify by Spring 2009.
The Convention reaffirms that disabled people have - and should be able to enjoy - their human rights on an equal basis with non-disabled people and sets out the steps governments are expected to take to make these rights a reality.
Other human rights treaties, such as conventions on the rights of children and women, have had a major effect in addressing human rights violations around the world.
In a written statement this morning, the Minister for Disabled People Jonathan Shaw MP announced the Government's intent to sign the UN Disability Convention's 'Optional Protocol'.
Once ratified, the protocol will allow individuals or groups of individuals to bring petitions to the UN Committee if they believe that their Convention rights have been breached. This step will also give the relevant UN Committee authority to undertake inquiries, when reliable information is received into allegations of grave or systematic violations of Convention rights.
Ratification of an Optional Protocol is technically a first for the UK in relation to an international human rights treaty.
'The UK already has a very good story to tell on promoting disabled people's rights. This step provides even greater accountability to disabled people in the UK, providing the option of redress at the highest level, and in doing so it ensures that the UK continues to show leadership on disability rights internationally.
‘We look forward to ratification of both the Convention and the Optional Protocol at the earliest opportunity'.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission, alongside the Scottish Human Rights Commission is tasked with promoting and monitoring implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Britain.